I turned 29 on June 6th. I don't feel any older. In fact, I have to keep reminding myself to type "29" instead of "28" when I'm completing surveys or filling out forms. A lot of people seem to freak out about turning 30, but I'm not sure what the big deal is. It's a milestone, yes, but not a negative one. Growing old is a privilege. If you've made it that far- congratulations! Growing older does have its disadvantages, but I like to look at the positive side of things.
Whenever I celebrate a birthday, I always take some time to reflect on my personal goals. Have I achieved any of them within the past year? Do I have any new goals? Am I on track where my goals are concerned? These are my reflections for 2012:
The Past: I'm free of any financial burdens I may have had. I do have student loans, but they are a necessary evil and will be dealt with accordingly.
The Present: Currently, I'm trying to be more selfish. I have a tendency to bend over backwards for everyone at the expense of my own interests and goals. I need to realize that it's okay to be selfish sometimes.
I'm getting ready to enroll for the Fall 2012 semester at UMASS Lowell. Fingers crossed that I get the classes I need in order to obtain my BIA certification. I'm really hoping that they can get this new Master's program online by the time I complete my graduate certificate program. I'd like to shift my Master's concentration to the psychological issues associated with autism spectrum disorders. I feel that it would be a better fit for me, and that it would better enable me to reach my professional goals. Ideally, I would like to design curriculum and materials for students with autism spectrum disorders.
I'm managing my finances very well. I'm slowly building up my savings account and emergency fund. I'm also setting money aside that I can later invest in various stocks. My 401(k) was recently diversified and is performing admirably. I've been with my company for almost six years; I was vested at five. That's all I really wanted from this place, although my current position is providing me with a lot of tools and resources to further develop my professional abilities. A lot of the systems that I'm mastering right now are systems that I will probably use in my later career, so that's a big plus.
I'm getting better at maintaining some semblance of a social life while keeping my focus on school and family. Honestly, I'm not going to get out much once the new semester begins, and I'm okay with that. This is the way I see it: I can sacrifice now and reap the benefits in a few years, or I can live it up right now and be in the exact same position in a few years. I'd rather make progress.
I've become a lot pickier about the people that I hang out with. Honestly, I don't want to be involved in drama and I don't want anyone dragging any trace of negativity into my life. If someone exhibits these traits, then I just walk away. I would rather surround myself with positive, supportive people. Negative people consume way too much of my time and energy. They also have a negative impact on my own sense of well-being.
The Future: Right now, we're planning to move once my partner gets her degree in the Culinary Arts. I'm ready to move now, honestly, but I really want my partner to get that degree. My only fear about trying to move right now is that some of her credits may not transfer, or that she may not be able to afford an out of state tuition (not because we're poor, but because we'll both have to find new jobs and juggle our moving expenses at the same time). So for now, unless anything changes, we'll move when she graduates. There are some people in Utah that I will miss, but all in all I'm looking forward to being closer to my friends and experiencing something new at the same time.
We're thinking about taking some big steps in our relationship next year, and we'd like our family to participate in these events, so it may be best to remain in Utah for the time being. Family is important, and I don't want to prevent them from being involved in the biggest changes of our life together. That aside, our family seems to support our decision to move. I'm sure that my parents understand why I want to raise my children in the south.
You know, I have a pretty awesome life. It has its ups and downs, but it's never boring and it just keeps better. So, here's to my 29th year on this planet- may it be just as epic as all the years that came before it!
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